Baby it's cold outside - the winter makes us friskier

Far from feeling the summer heat, a new study has revealed that men want more sex when the weather turns colder.

Scientists have found that men are more aroused when shown sexy pictures of women when the weather was colder than during the summer months, reports the Daily Mail.

In a new study, more than 100 men were asked to rate how attractive they found several women. They were asked every three months to rate two sets of photos over a 12-month period. One set showed only the faces of women, while the other showed the rest of their bodies either in swimming costumes or close-up shots of covered breasts.

It was found that the men's level of attraction towards women's faces didn't change but it did when it came to the full-body shots.

The researchers found that during December, January and February men were much more aroused by the photos of women's bodies, than they were during the summer months of June, July and August.

Men that were in romantic relationships also saw this change in how attracted they were to their partner.

Published in The Psychology of Human Sexuality blog, the research is also supported by sex toy firm Lovehoney, which found that December is the most popular month for people to have sex in. This could be because there are far fewer distractions in the winter months so it is more likely couples will seek entertainment from each other.

One explanation for this change in arousal is that seeing skin is much rarer in the winter months, making it more exciting when it is seen. Whereas in summer, when it's fairly common for people to be in small shorts and bikinis, it takes much more to get men excited by flesh.

Lovehoney co-founder Neal Slateford said: "At last we have found a reason to love the winter - it's great for our sex lives.

"Research shows that men in particular are hornier than ever. Couples clearly want to stay in and spice up their fun with some sex toys."

If you are struggling to find someone to spice up your winter months, then online dating could be the perfect solution.